1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an appliance which comfortably holds open the mouth of a patient during a medical or surgical procedure, delivers breathable oxygen to the patient and samples carbon dioxide concentration in the air exhaled by the patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
During medical procedures, a device is sometimes used to hold open a patient's mouth while providing an airway through which the patient can breathe normally. Such devices or appliances are sometimes called endoscopic mouth guards or bite blocks. The airway also provides access for medical personnel to insert various devices, such as tubing, into the patient's mouth or throat for various purposes. This bite block facilitates protecting instruments, endoscopes, tubing, tools and the like from being bitten by the patient.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,926,005, RE38,728, 6,491,643, 6,422,240, 6,186,958, 5,857,461, 5,174,284, 5,513,634, 348, 932, 329,901, 4,944,313, 4,640,273, and Publication numbers 2005/0279362, 2005/0273016 show various prior art devices relating to bite blocks and similar devices used in the past.
The invention offers advancements upon one or more of such devices.